An 18-month, £30/month plan is also available, albeit at higher handset prices. Those looking for a free handset will need to step up to a £35/month tariff for 24 months and will receive a free 8 GB iPhone 3G. According to the report, Vodafone UK chief executive Guy Laurence claims that the company has been working for over a year to build the infrastructure necessary to support the iPhone's heavy data demands.

The UK has seen a number of new carriers come on board as launch partner O2's exclusivity came to an end. Orange launched the iPhone in the UK last month to strong sales, while Tesco Mobile began offering the iPhone last week through its cooperative venture with O2.

You also get a staggering 1GB of data - enough for 10,000 web pages, over 16 hours of streaming video and generally getting the best from your iPhone apps. Want more? There's unlimited Wi-Fi at any BT Openzone hotspot. Perfect for those marathon internet sessions.

All I want is an iPhone 3GS; PAYG voice; and a similar data tariff, tethering included, to the one I currently have with 3 (3Gb for £15/month) with my USB modem.

Sadly neither Apple nor the UK carriers seem prepared to sell it, so I guess I'll wait until the inlaws go to New Zealand in the New Year, and ask them to get me an unlocked one from there (approx. £500). Sigh.

Looking at Vofafone's tariffs compared to O2 and Orange at least you get unlimited texts and there's 250mb more than orange to use a month. Come on who actually uses more than 500mb? I've had an iPhone since Nov 2007 and upgraded to the latest model twice with O2 and come nowhere near 1GB of data!!! Moving to Voda to get the unlimited texts!!!!

1GB of data a month works out around 4 hours of video every day. I don't know anyone who watches that much on their iPhone outside of a wiFi connection. These tariffs I feel are some of the best on the market now. Also handset prices are lower than what Orange and O2 offer. Let the price war commence

I only use around 100MB per month. I just wish one of the networks would offer a cheaper tariff with less allowance. 200 minutes with 200 texts and 200MB of data for £20 per month would do the job for me.

I only use around 100MB per month. I just wish one of the networks would offer a cheaper tariff with less allowance. 200 minutes with 200 texts and 200MB of data for £20 per month would do the job for me.

I'm on 120 MB/month here, and have only exceeded that once. Even then, it wasn't an issue since I could double it for a few dollars. I really don't see the need for 1 GB on a phone (apart from tethering, in which case I'd get a plan specifically for that).

I'm paying ~£18 for 50 minutes, 150 texts and 120 MB. I'm not a heavy user and have never exceeded the voice or text quotas, so they're essentially unlimited from my perspective

Given my iPhone 3G is officially unlocked now, will be switching to Vodafone 30-day SIM only next month. 600 minutes, unlimited texts, and 500Mb data for £20/month. Don't use video outside of Wifi 99% of the time, and most of my data traffic on 3G/GSM is Facebook, Twitter, etc. Not exactly data heavy.

Hopefully the 'iPhone 4' next summer will be more worthy of an upgrade directly on Vodafone that the 3GS is/was.

I've pre-ordered mine, since I've been with Vodafone since 1997 and have never changed my number (I'm on T-Mobile as well, since IMO they offer the best data in the UK).

As an upgrade, my choices were £40/month with a free 16GB 3GS - 1200 minutes, unlimited texts, 1GB data (fair use rather than a hard cap (their words), apparently - they don't charge when you exceed it according to their rep, but will inform you and THEN discuss charging for increased allowances); £70/month got more minutes and a free 32GB 3GS.

Both on 24 month contracts.

However, the cost to have the £40/month and 32GB was only £75, so that's what I've done. Quite a drop from £30/month more for 2 years, particularly when they reckon no-one will ever need the allowance in the £70 plan.

Obviously I'll wait and see how the service is/visual voicemail etc., but it compares well with the £80 my Nokia E90 cost as an upgrade 2 years ago.

I just ended my 18 months contract with O2 and... swap on iPhone bolt-on for £15 less a month and 600 free minutes instead 140. Anyway, O2 customers already aware of this.
I like O2; never had any problems with them so I am waiting for iPhone 4G from O2 this June/July and hopefully I could keep my bolts-on tarrif instead getting into another lengthy contract. By seeing so many competitors I think I will get what I want

Not a HUGE saving... but I'm guessing most people who get the iPhone (like all the people I know who have one) Text a lot... and with a QWERTY Keyboard you don't abbreviate SMS
So what you could send on another phone in 1 SMS, will take 2 on the iPhone

I'm already on Vodafone, my Contract ends in April. but you can upgrade 60 days before, so February
But on January 14th I'll be calling Vodafone NIGHT-AND-DAY to upgrade

- Although I'm oppose to paying for a phone and having a contract.
Vodafone have given us a more affordable iPhone with unlimited SMS

I doubt they'll charge you if you go over 1 GB of internet, I get 250 MB of Internet and unlimited Blackberry Service on my Blackberry Storm (Which is rubbish btw) because I've never been charged for going over the Unlimited* SMS which is 2000 fair usage

This was even when Vodafone gave us free roaming this Summer and I sent over 2000 in one week from Spain